Method and apparatus for supporting machine-type communications with a mobile originated-only mode

Abstract

A method and apparatus for supporting machine-type communications (MTC) are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may configure itself to operate in a mobile-originated-only mode. The WTRU may perform no, or a subset of, radio resource control (RRC) idle and/or non-access stratum (NAS) idle/standby state procedures in the mobile-originated-only mode. For example, the WTRU may perform cell reselection but not paging monitoring in the mobile-originated-only mode. Alternatively, the WTRU may perform paging monitoring but not cell reselection and location update. The operation in the mobile-originated-only mode may be triggered explicitly or implicitly. For example, the WTRU may operate in the mobile-originated-only mode if an inactivity timer expires. The WTRU may switch the mode in accordance with a pre-configured schedule. After transition of the operation mode, the WTRU may send a message to the network indicating such mode switch.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) supporting machine-type communications, comprising:
 a processor configured to receive from a communications network a trigger for changing the WTRU from a mobile originated-and-terminated-mode to a mobile-originated-only mode comprising a time value for a WTRU timer that corresponds to when the WTRU changes from a mobile originated-and-terminated-mode to a mobile-originated-only mode; 
 the processor configured to set the time value in the timer; and 
 the processor configured to change the WTRU from the mobile originated-and-terminated-mode to the mobile-originated-only mode when the WTRU timer reaches the time value. 
 
     
     
       2. The WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to change the WTRU from the mobile-originated-only mode to the mobile originated-and-terminated-mode for a mobile origination event. 
     
     
       3. The WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to send a message to the communications network indicating that the WTRU changed from the mobile-originated-only mode to the mobile originated-and-terminated-mode. 
     
     
       4. The WTRU of  claim 1 , where the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing page monitoring, cell reselection, and location update procedures. 
     
     
       5. The WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing one of page monitoring procedures, cell reselection procedures, and location update procedures. 
     
     
       6. The WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing cell reselection and page monitoring procedures. 
     
     
       7. The WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing cell reselection and location update procedures. 
     
     
       8. The WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing page monitoring and location update procedures. 
     
     
       9. The WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive from a communications network the trigger in one of an attach message, location update message, tracking area update message, or a routing area update message. 
     
     
       10. The WTRU of  claim 1 , further comprising the timer. 
     
     
       11. A method of supporting machine-type communications implemented by a WTRU, the method comprising:
 receiving in the WTRU from a communications network a trigger for changing the WTRU from a mobile originated-and-terminated-mode to a mobile-originated-only mode comprising a time value for a WTRU timer that corresponds to when the WTRU changes from a mobile originated-and-terminated-mode to a mobile-originated-only mode; 
 setting the time value in the WTRU timer; and 
 changing the WTRU from the mobile originated-and-terminated-mode to the mobile-originated-only mode when the WTRU timer reaches the time value. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising changing the WTRU from the mobile-originated-only mode to the mobile originated-and-terminated-mode for a mobile origination event. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising sending a message to the communications network indicating that the WTRU changed from the mobile-originated-only mode to the mobile originated-and-terminated-mode. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , where the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing page monitoring, cell reselection, and location update procedures. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , where the mobile-originated-only wherein the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing page monitoring procedures. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing cell reselection procedures. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing location update procedures. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , where the mobile-originated-only mode comprises the WTRU not performing at least one of page monitoring, cell reselection, and location update procedures. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to receive, from a communications network, the trigger in one of an attach message, location update message, tracking area update message, or a routing area update message.